■p. 



..-■^* > 



.58 



lUTr.LETIN :!l, rXITKH STATKS NATfONAT. MUSKITM. 



II' 



Tlio triinsvorsoliiM^ (.Itoctli is in tlircc piirts ()r(M)inl)s; ii (U'lifnil about 

 two-liniis the. widtli of the lieud, uiul scpaiiilcl IVom llic liitcriil by ii 

 sli-ilit interval. Tiio central patch is nearly strai-ht in its middle, but, 

 tluM-nds enrve a little, torwards, and continuously with the lateral i>i)r- 

 fion of the line which forma a curve concave l)ackwards, itonndinfi- the 

 orbit. The inner edj^e of the imsterior nares marks the extent of the 

 central row of teeth. The lateral comb of teeth is about half the length 

 of the central. 



The color of the spe(!imen described is, in alcohol, of a dark liver brown 

 above, abruptly light olivaceous beneath. On each side of the back is a 

 series of nearly circular rounded spots about the size of the (U-bit, about 

 three on each side of the head, eijiiit or nims on the body, and as many 

 on the tail, where they are sonu'tinu's conlliuMit. These spots are white, 

 in alcohol, but yellow in life. Alon.y the sides and nnuv sparin.i;ly be- 

 neath are some scattered, (piite small whitish spots,not very c(Mispicuous. 

 The lejisareof the color of the under parts, not of the U|)per; I hey show 

 some of the small lij^lit spots seen on the sides. 



4 



\n 



■I i 



11 



Ii 



ft 

 a 



3 



Total IciiKtli of :VM) 



Li'iijjlli (if itiiiiitli 



Leiiu'lli to ,i;'nl;ii' lolil 



Loinith to uroin 



McnKiircmiiilK. 



Iiulios. niclics. 



('(.'id Ii('ny;tli oftiiil licliiiiil ;iiins :!.!(• 



Id \Vi(Uii ol'licad i'.."i 



.-'•J Arm I'roiii i'IIkiw (ill 



.. . vi.Sd Hind It'" IVoiii kni'o "^a 



Loiifjtli to bcliind aims :t.l(l | 



In the preceding paragraph I have described a specimen from Abbe- 

 ville, S. C, as a lo(!idity nearest to that whence the original of liinna-iis's 

 des(!ri|)tion was obtained. An exaiuinatiou of a large sei'ies of speci- 

 mens from different localities shows certain differences, whicii, however, 

 arc not of a character to indiiNite specific separation. 



The external appearaiKte of the skin varies consideral)ly with llie 

 .strength of the alcohol used far lueservation, and probably with the 

 season when capturt'd. The animal, when alive, is perfectly smooth and 

 lustrous, and readily exudes a large (piaiitify of a white milky Juice fVoin 

 the upper half of head, body, and tail, or from the dark-cohu'ed portion. 

 This is due to the presence of glands closely implanted in the skin, the 

 ])ores of whicli are sometiiiu>s (piite iiieonspi(Mious ; sometimes very dis- 

 tinct. On the tail they are much largest and di'cpest, and the lateral 

 groove marks their inferior boundary, being there implanted verti(!ally. 

 When these pores are very full of their milky juice and the alcohol is 

 very sfrtuig the contraction of the skin betwciui the mouths of Wwsv, 

 pores gives imue or less the appearance of roundtMl, thick-set granules, 

 of rather large size. This also gives rise to an ai)parent deiuession (tf 

 the digits, the skin forming quite a margin 



The proportions of the body vary slightly. The tail is generally not 



'■ 



80 long as the rest of the animal, tli 



le groin IxMiig more iisuallv in^ariu" 



